Electronic devices and accessory devices that provide information to electronic devices

Abstract

Accessory devices are described herein. An accessory device may include a receptacle for receiving an electronic device. The accessory device may include a case that covers the housing of the electronic device, or a folio that additionally includes a cover can conceal the display of the electronic device. Accessory devices described herein further include wireless circuitry used to communicate with wireless circuitry in the electronic device. The wireless circuitry can be used for various functions and features. For instance, the wireless circuitry in the accessory device can respond to authentication requests from the electronic device, and/or to send authentication requests to the electronic device. Further, the wireless circuitry in the accessory device can send information to the electronic device. Such information may include properties of the accessory device, or information stored on the accessory device that is presented on a display of the electronic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An accessory device, comprising:
 a body that defines a receptacle configured to receive an electronic device, the body comprising:
 a bottom wall, and 
 sidewalls extending from the bottom wall; 
 
 a memory circuit stored in the body, the memory circuit storing data; and 
 wireless circuitry carried by the body, wherein in response to the receptacle receiving the electronic device, the wireless circuitry is configured to transmit the data to the electronic device, thereby causing a display assembly of the electronic device to present visual information in accordance with the data. 
 
     
     
       2. The accessory device of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an appearance of the body. 
     
     
       3. The accessory device of  claim 2 , wherein the appearance comprises a color. 
     
     
       4. The accessory device of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises a theme. 
     
     
       5. The accessory device of  claim 4 , wherein the theme comprises one of a user-preferred interest and a location. 
     
     
       6. The accessory device of  claim 1 , wherein the data is transmitted subsequent to verification of an authentication received by the wireless circuitry from the electronic device. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing that defines an internal volume; 
 wireless circuitry disposed in the internal volume, the wireless circuitry configured to receive data from an accessory device; 
 a display assembly coupled with the housing, the display assembly configured to present visual information; and 
 a processor disposed in the internal volume, the processor configured to:
 receive the data from the wireless circuitry, and 
 instruct the display assembly to present the visual information in accordance with a characteristic of the accessory device, the characteristic transmitted with the data. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the characteristic comprises an appearance of the accessory device, and 
 the display assembly is altered in accordance with the appearance. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the appearance comprises a filter applied to the display assembly. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the characteristic comprises a theme, and 
 the display assembly is altered in accordance with the theme. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the theme comprises one of a user-preferred interest and a location. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless circuitry receives the data when the housing is disposed in the accessory device. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the display assembly presents a message based on the data. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 7 , further comprising a speaker module disposed in the internal volume, wherein the data transmitted via the speaker module. 
     
     
       15. A method for altering an appearance of an electronic device, the method comprising:
 by an accessory device comprising a receptacle that carries a memory circuit and wireless circuitry:
 receiving, within the receptacle, the electronic device; 
 communicating, by the wireless circuitry, data to the electronic device, the data stored on the memory circuit; and 
 causing, based on communicating the data, a display assembly of the electronic device to present visual information in accordance with the data. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data further causes a speaker module of the electronic device to present a message. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data comprises an appearance of the accessory device. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data comprises one of a user-preferred interest and a location. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, prior to communicating the data:
 receiving authentication information from the electronic device; and 
 authenticating, based on the received authentication information, the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data comprises a characteristic of the accessory device.